Headmistress and Professor
by MistressMetis
Summary: The Headmistress of Hogwarts has as always tried to keep up her stoic facade. When Hermione Granger makes her a Christmas present, she realizes that the Headmistress must be pretty sad. She decides to change that.
1. Chapter 1

Minerva McGonagall was unhappy. She survived 3 wars and lost her whole family. Now it was christmas time and once like the last 4 years, was she sitting alone in her Manor in the Scottish Highlands. She was almost 60 years old, but as a pureblood witch and animagus she had another 60 or even more years to live. She just hoped, that she wouldn't have to live through another war. The loneliness was hard, even for her. She was often described as icy or emotionless and none of her students had ever seen her laugh. It was true, she didn't like to let people in, she had a lot of skeletons in her closet and she had lost too many people to see a point in making an effort. It had been a long time since she had felt truly happy, probably over 50 years. She was known to be proper, strong and brave; Minerva McGonagall didn't need to lean on anyone. Usually she stayed at Hogwarts over the Christmas break, but none of the students stayed, the wounds of the war were still fresh and most people wanted to spend Christmas as family. She had not been invited anywhere, probably because no one thought she would appreciate the invitation but also because she was not close to anyone anymore.

She decided to open one of the three presents she had gotten, not many but one from Poppy, one from Septima Vector and one from Hermione Granger-the newest addition to the Hogwarts staff. She thought it was funny, but Hermione still called her Professor McGonagall or Headmistress. They were colleagues now after all, sometimes they even had a cup of tea together and talked about Transfiguration Today.

Minerva opened Hermione's present first, a note fell out of the package. _„Dear Professor McGonagall, I hope you will enjoy this present. It is a my animagus form and it will always behave the way I feel. That means if I am asleep the kitten will sleep, when I am happy it will run around and when I am sad it will curl up. I made one for me too, mine is a tabby cat; I hope you don't mind, it was an experiment. When the two are together, it is the utmost adorable thing. It is only the size that it has because I thought it would be nice if it would fit in a pocket. Also they can take messages, so if you put a piece of parchment in its mouth it will take it to me in seconds. This feature would be fun I thought, since we wont see each other during the whole of break and I would hate to miss or weekly tea conversations. Merry Christmas Hermione Granger"_ She looked into the small box and there was a small brown kitten the size of her palm. It looked at her expectantly and when she started stroking its fur it started to purr.

Trust Miss Granger to make her a gift. She decided to try her kitten out and wrote on a piece of parchment: _Dear Miss Granger, I really appreciate the gift. I didn't realized you had mastered an animagus form yet, you really need to show me. I would hate to miss the conversation as well, but if you aren't opposed you could just come to McGonagall Manor tomorrow at our usual time. Minerva McGonagall" _The kitten disappeared for a few minutes and then came back with a piece of paper in its mouth: _Thank you for the invitation, I will be there if you tell me how. HG _Well, that meant she wouldn't be alone this Christmas after all. _Just imagine my face and apparate, I will open the wards for you at all times. _When the kitten was back she noticed its happiness, Hermione must like to come over.

At the same time in a small apartment in London Hermione Granger was really excited that her animagus experiment was working and she was invited, she had never heard of anyone being invited to McGonagalls Manor before. She must trust me, she was sure. The tabby seemed to be happy, it had been curled up ever since she made it and Hermione was sure that she did something wrong but maybe the Headmistress had been unhappy for quite a while. If that was the case Hermione was glad that a visit would help to get the stoic woman in a slightly better mood.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione Granger was standing in front of a huge Manor, the Garden was white from snow. It was a magnificent home. She knocked on the door and was greeted by a house elf. „Me is Tilly, what can Tilly do for the Missus?". „Hello Tilly, I am Hermione Granger and I was looking for the Headmistress." „Tilly may not let anyone in, Tilly is very sorry miss Hermione Granger." „Look Tilly, I have spoken to the Headmistress yesterday and I am supposed to be having tea with her right now." „Till is very sorry but the Mistress is not well and so Tilly may not let Miss Hermione Granger in." Hermione was shocked to hear that, what could have happened in the short time span? She got the tabby out of her pocket and it was looking horrible! „I am sorry Tilly but you must let me in, I need to see if I can help her. She is my friend and I wont leave before I know what is wrong." „A friend Miss Hermione Granger says?The Mistress doesn't have any friends though and Miss is calling Mistress ‚Headmistress'. Only acquaintances call Mistress that." „I am allowed to call her Minerva I just usually don't, please, may I see her. It doesn't have to be long." Tilly seemed to think about it and then with a snap Hermione and Tilly were standing in a dark room. „Tilly will come back in a half hours time." „Yes, thank you Tilly."

Hermione looked around and there was the Headmistress, in a nightgown laying on her huge four poster bed. She was asleep and her long ebony hair in a plait. Hermione lit some candles around the room and sat next to the woman on the bed. Minerva looked red and her some strands of hair were sticking to her head. Hermione felt her forehead and she was burning up! Hermione looked around the room and found an opened door, must be the bathroom she thought. She got some towels and put them in ice water. The pulled the sheets from the Headmistresses body and got a groan in return, the older woman didn't loo good. She put the towels around the lower legs and one in the neck. The action gave her a moan.

She summoned some tea. Hermione put a hand on Minervas cheek and said: headmistress, it is time to wake up. That didn't help anything, after a minute she decided to try something else: Minerva, darling, would you please wake up for me?" And surely that worked, slowly the older woman's eyes opened. When she saw who was there her eyes widened in shock. „What are you doing here Miss Granger?" Always the proper Headmistress. „Tilly said you were sick and so I came to check up on you. Your cat didn't look so well herself. I am sorry for the intrusion, but it is Christmas after all and I couldn't let you suffer alone." „That is quite alright Miss Granger…Hermione would you mind to get me a pepper up potion? It cures a cold fairly quickly." „I am sorry but I cannot do that Headmistress." „Oh and why is that?" The proper woman was getting irritated. There was this girl half her age who dared to be in her bedroom uninvited and now she would make decisions for her? No she couldn't let her do that! „Headm..Minerva, you are sick and this isn't just a cold. The pepper up will only make you feel worse tomorrow and I cannot let that happen. Your fever seems to have gone down though, so we might as well go to the living room." „And why would that be acceptable. The audacity to come into my home when I clearly told my elf to let no one in and now you tell me what to do in my house? No it isn't gonna happen." The witch was quite out of breath and furious! „Minerva I know that you don't feel well, nut I was only asking to make you more comfortable since I am sure you don't enjoy anyone in your bedroom. I got your fever down the muggle way and I care about you, therefore I cannot do anything that will make you feel bad." Minerva understood Hermiones reasoning, at least somewhat. „Here is a robe."

She pulled it on and a few seconds later they were sitting on a big couch and Hermione gave Minerva some tea. „Feel better?" „A little thank you."„Would you like to lay down a bit?" „That would be quite nice, but I don't see how that is gonna work out." Just put your head in my lap, I wont bite." Minerva thought about that for a while, it had been a while since she had been that close to anyone, but she was unwell and needed to lay down. Hermione was not moving from her place on the couch and so she put her head in her former students lap. Hermione was glad that the strict professor layer down. She opened the braid, it was sweaty from the fever and put a quick cleaning spell on it, she made sure to get the right scent on it. The older witch smelled usually like parchment, vanilla and fresh air. Her hair was now vanilla. She began to stoke through the long hair, she had always wanted to do that. hermione thought it a shame that the thick, ebony tresses were usually constricted in a bun. her colleagues and friends face looked easily ten years younger with the hair open.

Minerva was sceptical when Hermione first opened the braid, she didn't like people touching her hair. When the young witch made it smell like vanilla and began to stoke through it she couldn't help but not care and just enjoy the attention she was getting. It had been a long time since anyone took the time to make her feel good in such a simple way. She began purring, or rather her animagus did. A while later she was fast asleep again.


End file.
